Hunt, 42, signs 6-fight deal reportedly worth millions
Mark Hunt: “I still feel like I’m the best fighter on the planet and I want to prove that. This contract gives me the opportunity to do that and do what I love to do.”
UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt owns one of the great comeback stories in combat sports history. He was on a five-fight losing streak in Japan. Then, three years after the UFC bought PRIDE, they realized they owed Hunt a contract.
He lost his next fight too. But the UFC kept him on.
Then Mark Hunt got his first win in five year. Then he won the next, and the next, and the next, in a division where streaks are ridiculously hard to come by.
Hunt lost the next fight, to Junior Dos Santos, in the fight of the night. The next fight, with Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, was the fight of the ever. Then he beat Roy Nelson with a performance bonus winning knockout.
Next he lost to Fabricio Werdum for the interim heavyweight championship, in a late fight at altitude. Stipe Miocic had his number in the next one.
And now he is back on a two-fight win streak, vs. Bigfoot and Frank Mir.
Now ranked #8 Hunt is a fight away from a title shot. And at age 42, he has signed a new six-fight, 30-month contract with the UFC that will reportedly make him one of New Zealand’s highest earning athletes.
“It’s not about the money,” said Hunt to Liam Napier for Stuff.co.nz. “Of course I had to get paid for my work but I want that title.”
“Dana gave me a message and we talked about it. There were some back and forth negotiations.
“I think I still deserve a title shot and in the end I thought six fights should do it. I’m glad to finish my career at the top end with the UFC. I want to bring the gold down under.
“It’s great news especially for the local fighters, men and women, in New Zealand and Australia. It shows them they can achieve these goals. I’ve been doing it for years and they can too. They just need to surround themselves with the right management team and if they’re good enough they can get these multi-million dollar deals and have a good life.
“If I ever felt like I couldn’t compete against the younger fights then I wouldn’t be here. I still feel like I’m the best fighter on the planet and I want to prove that. This contract gives me the opportunity to do that and do what I love to do.”
“I want a rematch with all these guys who are cheating. Their use of steroids is starting to irritate me. I want it to be an even playing field.
“They’ve been contacting me to come and test me here [in Bali, where the fighter is on vacation with his family]. I think they’re trying to test everybody. It’s great. Every sport should be clean. Otherwise we all should be on it.”
Hunt next wants a rematch with Junior dos Santos, who is coming off a win over Ben Rothwell at UFC Fight Night 86? in Croatia on April 10.